Thursday, March 31, 2016

Career
1935-36 Cortland High School - New York (High School)
1936-37 Cortland High School - New York (High School)
1937-38 Cortland High School - New York (High School)
1940-41 Cortland State (College)
1941-42 Cortland State (College)
1942-43 Cortland State (College)
1944-45 Air Technical Services - Dayton (Military)
1945-46 Cortland State (College)
1946-47 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)

Born to Stephen and Sofia Moiseichik. He was a football and basketball star at Cortland State, with his time there interrupted by military service. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War 2 and returned to Cortland to graduate in 1946. After a brief appearence with the Nationals, he finished his Masters Degree in Physical Education at Syracuse University and went to coach football for 20 years at Courtland High School, retiring in 1967. He was also the school's athletic director.

One of the first superstars of the sport, Mikan had shattered his knee as a kid that left him bedridden for almost a year. Despite his lankiness (6'10 250 lbs) and near-sightedness, Mikan left Quigley Prep Seminary to finish high school at Joliet Catholic, and moved on to DePaul where he was a two-time player of the year. Mikan became the first player to really prove that people of his height could be coordinated enough to be an effective basketball player. The modern game's goaltending rule exists solely from Mikan, who deflected many an oppnent's shot as it approached the rim.
After college, Mikan joined with the American Gears, and followed them into the PBLA the next season, but once the Gears (and the PBLA) folded early into the league's inaugural season, and Mikan was handed over the Lakers, where he played until his retirement after the 1953-54 season.
After a season hiatus, Mikan returned for one more season before quitting playing for good. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1956, and after losing a close race, returned to the NBA to coach the Lakers. Minneapolis went 9-30 under Mikan before stepping down. Done with basketball, he went on to practice law and work in real estate until he a decade later, when became the first commissioner of the ABA.
Mikan fought hard for many years to get pensions for retired players. Saddled with kidney problems and diabetes, his illnesses took his leg, and eventually his life. He died in 2005.

He was married to Patricia and had six kids: sons Larry (George Lawrence Mikan III), Terry, Patrick and Michael, and daughters Trisha and Maureen.

Born to Polish immigrants, Mihalik played basketball briefly, but made his mark as an official. He officiated in the NCAA and in the Olympics. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1986. Red died of cancer in 1996. He was also a veteran of World War 2.

Career
1935-36 Western High School - Detroit (High School)
1936-37 Western High School - Detroit (High School)
1937-38 Western High School - Detroit (High School)
1939-40 Michigan State University (College)
1940-41 Michigan State University (College)
1941-42 Detroit Auto Club (Detroit Basketball Association)
1946-47 Detroit Gems (NBL)
1946-47 Smoke Brothers - River Rouge, MI (Independent)
1947-48 House of David (Independent)
1948-49 House of David (Independent)
1949-50 House of David (Independent)
1950-51 House of David (Independent)

From Wayne, Michigan. Played three games for Detroit Gems.

Born in Detroit to Charles and Ida Mekules, Frank was a three-sport star at Western High School in Detroit.

After helping Wheeling HS to the WV State Championships in 1936 and 1937, Mehen moved on to the University of Tennessee where he was an All-American. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War 2 where his heel was shattered by a mortar shell in Europe, he played for Youngstown and Toledo in the NBL. When the Toledo franchise moved to Waterloo, Iowa, Mehen decided to stay in Toledo where he took employment as an appliance and furniture salesman.

Mehen's younger brother Dick played with him at Tennessee, and later for the Jeeps.

He married Lucille on May 31, 1942 and had two daughters, Andrea and Sandra.

Career
Christian Brothers Academy - Syracuse, NY (High School)
1939-40 Syracuse Reds (NY State Professional Basketball League)
1940-41 Newark Elks (Independent)
1941-42 Newark Elks (Independent)
1942-43 Newark Elks (Independent)
1943-44 Rochester Pros (Independent)
1945-46 Syracuse Stars (All-American Basketball League)
1946-47 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1947-48 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1947-48 Mohawk (NYSL)
1948-49 Utica (NYSL)
1950-51 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1951-52 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1952-53 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1953-54 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1954-55 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1955-56 Kerhonkson High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1957-58 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1958-59 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1959-60 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1960-61 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1961-62 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1962-63 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1963-64 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1964-65 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1965-66 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1966-67 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1967-68 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1968-69 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1969-70 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1970-71 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1971-72 Rondout Central Valley High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
1981-82 unknown High School - New York (High School) - Head coach
Marlboro High School - New York (High School) - Head coach ??

Allegedly played basketball at Syracuse University according to some sources, but there is no record of this.

After playing basketball and baseball at Duke, McCahan played in the Philadelphia Athletics minor league system, with an interruption in his pitching career where he was a test pilot in the Air Corps. He came back from the war and eventually made it to the Athletics, playing for Connie Mack for 4 seasons. He also threw a no-hitter in which he was an error away from a perfect game.

One of 13 children born to Benjamin Franklin Maddox and Nettie Hightower Maddox, Maddox went to SMU on an athletic scholarship but in February of 1939 was declared academically ineligible. He then transferred to West Texas State. He served in the USMC before his time as a professional basketball player. He also worked as a cowboy in the off season. Returned to Texas to work as a cowboy and a rancher, and was a calf roper in rodeos as well as teaching and working as a principal. He coached at Blossom HS, and also worked as a basketball official. (He often gets credit for playing with the Tulsa Ranchers, but that is actually Joe "Red" Maddox out of Northwestern State.)

He married Reva Doum (1920-2004) on July 24, 1946, and they had a son, Clint, and a daughter, Cassie.

From Leslie, Michigan, Latter was a minor league pitching prospect who signed with the Detroit Tigers. He left the team to join the U.S. Army for World War 2, where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart. After the war, he resumed his baseball career as well as playing professional basketball. In baseball, he never made it higher than AA ball in the Yankees' organization.

Klier set the single-season scoring record for Notre Dame in the 1943-44 season, but missed the next season as he was serving his country in the U.S. Navy. He returnd in 1945-46 for his senior year and topped his previous scoring record, and was on the college All-Star team that defeated the NBL All-Star squad in an exhbition game. A pioneer of the one-handed set shot, Leo went on to play for Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, before being named head coach as well as playing for Anderson in the short-lived NPBL. He also worked in the off-season as a lifeguard at the Broadmoor Country Club in Indianapolis, before being sold to Fort Wayne in July of 1948. He began working for Amoco Oil as a salesman in 1952, and remained there until his retirement in 1979. In retirement, he owned and operated a service station in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Leo died in 2005.

He was married to Nancy in 1946 and they had nine children; Peggy, Marianne, Michael, Janet, Martha, Kevin, Carol, Daniel and Timothy.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Sometimes a single word in a newspaper article great break the case open. In this case, a small article about Doc White dropped the name of his hometown, which broke this mystery on the identity of this player for the Youngstown Bears.

Monday, March 21, 2016

I found a newspaper article about Hutchisson joining the pro team in Coshocton, Ohio, that pretty confirmed what I had previously found. His exact date of birth is still unknown. His name is also corrected from "Hutchinson" to "Hutchisson"

He worked out of the Brewster athletic complex in Detroit, playing basketball as well as boxing in Detroit Golden Gloves tournaments. The boxer was from Highland Park and baked cookies for a living.

Born to Joseph and Hattie King in Alabama, Willie was a prominent athlete in the Detroit are in high school, as a star halfback in football, hurdler in track, and a guard on the hardwood. His older brother Albert was a star high jumper at Pershing, and went on to Wayne State.

At Long Island, King played football, basketball and baseball. Dolly quit LIU and went pro with the Rens. He took the basketball coaching and athletic director job at Manhattan Borough Community College. He also played baseball briefly in the Negro Leagues, including some time with the Homestead Greys. He eventually went back to LIU to finish his schooling and obtaining a Master's Degree.

Shortly after a Manhattan game, Dolly had a heart attack and died the next morning.

Update 5/17/2016
Part of the mystery of our guy, as indicated by records at ancestry.com, was because he later went by the name Paul Jayson. Once I found that, it was an easier route.

Born to Henry and Rauha Juntunen, Paul went to Wayne State University, and then entered the U.S. Navy. He later worked for WKMH in Detroit as a news editor. He served his country not only in World War 2, but in the Korean and Vietnam wars. At some point he changed his name to "Jayson," which is the name he and his wife are buried under.

From Lafayette, Indiana, Biggs was one of ten children born to Guy and Ruby Biggs. He played one year of basketball at Purdue, as a sophomore in the 1942-43 season. He was also a all-American football player. He went into the Navy after the 1942-43 school year. He played for Sheboygan for in the playoffs of the 1846-47 NBL season, despite not playing during the regular season. He eventually moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and later Florida, where he did in 1990.

He married Sally Spindler on March 8, 1947, and later married Evelyn Pike. Not sure if he was divorced or widowed. He had two daughters, Debbie and Elaine.

His obituary says he played football professionally, but I see no record of this.

Many sources say he played at SIU, but he does not appear on their all-time roster.

Henderson played at Sparks Business College for three years (not sure which other two seasons he played), and later played semi-pro basketball around the Midwest before playing professionally for the Gems. He later became a businessman in Decatur and a member of the Board of Education in Effingham, Illinois.

Also would like to thank Jane Loy Ries at the Effingham County Courthouse in Effingham, Illinois, for helping me identify Mr. Henderson. She was in contact with Curt's widow, Melba, and was able to ascertain his identity for us and get us this great photo.

Born to Stanley and Mary Hawley, Hawley pitched 19 season of minor league baseball, winning over 250 games. He was briefly a member of the Detroit Gems in the NBL. He later was a long-time baseball coach at Kaskaskia College in Illinois.

Hassett played basketball at Georgetown, but when Georgetown dropped basketball due to World War 2, Hassett played a year of AAU ball before transferring over to Notre Dame. After graduating, he played in the NBL, PBLA and NBA.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Grunzweig went into the military and after tours of duty in the infantry in Europe in World War 2, followed by combat in Korea, Grunzweig spent 30 years in the army, retiring a colonel in 1973. He played one season with the Blackhawks. After retirement from the military, he moved to Iowa where he worked for the Department of Human Services until retiring in 1979.

The son of New York Yankee outfield Frank Gilhooley Sr, Frank was a star baseball and basketball player at Catholic Central in Toledo, and played both sports at Notre Dame. After a brief stint with the Jeeps, Gilhooley move into the broadcast booth, and is better known as the former voice of the Toledo Mud Hens.

Career
1936-37 Warrensburg Teachers College - Missouri (College) - now Central Missouri State University
1937-38 Warrensburg Teachers College - Missouri (College) - now Central Missouri State University
1938-39 Warrensburg Teachers College - Missouri (College) - now Central Missouri State University
1940-41 Niangua High School - Missouri - Head coach
1941-42 Niangua High School - Missouri - Head coach
1944-45 Norman Navy Skyjackets (Military)
1944-45 Wichita Cessna Bobcats (Independent)
1946-47 Toledo Jeeps (NBL)
1947-48 Flint/Midland Dow A.C.'s (NBL)
1947-48 Tulsa Ranchers (PBLA) - Player / Head Coach
1947-48 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1948-49 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1949-50 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1950-51 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1951-52 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1952-53 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1953-54 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1954-55 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1955-56 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1956-57 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1957-58 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1958-59 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1959-60 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1960-61 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1961-62 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1962-63 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1963-64 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1964-65 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach
1965-66 Jefferson City High School - Missouri (High School) - Head Coach

Born to James and Lisa Gibbs in Mill Spring, Missouri, Gibbs attended Warrensburg (now Central Missouri State). He enlisted in the Navy and taught hand-to-hand combat for three years. After leaving the military, he played professional basketball for Toledo and Flint/Midland and was a player/coach for Tulsa in the PBLA. Not wanting to travel, he turned down an offer from the Globetrotters to stay in teaching and coaching. He played with his brother, John Gibbs, in Flint and Tulsa, and coached against him while both brothers were Missouri High School coaches.

He married Edna Cochrane on April 1, 1939, and they had two sons, Jim Bob and John. After Edna's death in 1986, he remarried to Kathleen Wickman, who died in 1991.

Born in Syracuse to John and Ann Gee. He was a skilled baseball and basketball player in high school and college, and at 6'9, he was the tallest man to play major league baseball until Randy Johnson debuted with the Seattle Mariners. After graduating, he played minor league baseball in his hometown Syracuse before being purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1939. He wound up playing sparingly over 6 seasons in the Major Leagues, and finally embraced a career as a teacher and educator over baseball. He played professional basketball with Syracuse, but his job as a teacher prevented him from playing on the road.

He remained in upstate New York as a teacher, administrator and coach, dying in 1988.

He married Suzanne Corl on August 29, 1942, and they had two sons and three daughters.

His collegiate career was interrupted to serve in the Navy for World War 2, which through special allotments allowed him to in essence reset his eligibility for college basketball.
Gauchat quit professional basketball to concentrate on his dental career.

Gates grew up in Harlem, playing basketball and stickball. He attended Clark College in Georgia for one year, but did not play basketball there. He played on many professional teams that competed in the World Tournament, participating in all ten tournaments held. When he joined Buffalo / Tri-Cities in 1946-47, he was one of four black players in the league. There had been black players in the NBL in the past, but they were still under-represented. Following a nasty fight between Gates and Chick Meehan, racial tensions surfaced in the league, and by the end of the season, all four black players in the NBL (Gates, Bill Farrow, Dolly King and Willie King) were out of the league, and in the following season there were no black players. That ended in 1948-49 when the NBL re-integrated. Dayton took over for the faltering Detroit franchise, and Gates was became first black head coach in professional basketball when he took over the Dayton squad during the 1948-49 season.

Gates later became a police officer in New York City. He died of a heart failure in 1999.

Gates starred at Sam Houston State and after, became the basketball coach at an undetermined high school in Huntsville. He moved up to Indiana and joined up with the Packers and the Pistons. He returned to Texas to play with Houston in the new PBLA, but the team folded after two games. He then returned to Anderson and joined the Packers, staying with them as they transitioned to the NBA. When the team was jettisoned after the 1949-50 season, he became the player / coach as they spent one season in the short-lived NPBL.